Palm Beach Songwriter Realizes “Stardum”

After nearly three years of planning, designing, building and equipping, vocalist Suzie Schomaker has opened the API Legacy Plus–equipped Stardum Studios in West Palm Beach, Fla.

"I wanted a studio that I could play in," jokes Schomaker. "I've performed in a lot of studios, most of them in New York, and I just felt that I wanted someplace where I could work creatively and attract other artists that would feel the same. I am targeting potential clients—anywhere from indie to national acts—that enjoy a great analog-based room with all the freedom and capabilities digital has to offer."

Stardum Studios features Quested mains and near-fields, Pro Tools HD Accel with 48 outputs of Prism Sound converters, Studer A827 and Ampex ATR-102 tape machines, outboard gear from Neve, Teletronix and GML, and a 48-channel API Legacy Plus, chosen after recording an album at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, N.Y. "I thought about buying an older, classic API at first," she explains. "The more I thought about it, the more I felt the need to just go for it and buy a new Legacy Plus. That's what I did, and I'm thrilled with it!"

Stardum Studios' Studio A also features a large tracking room, sizable iso room, machine room, large control room and a lengthy hallway that can serve as additional recording space. "Each space has a different acoustical feel," says Schomaker. "The iso is a bit deader than the tracking room, and the hallway has a wonderful sound quality that I really love."

The studio will also include a surround sound-capable Studio B that will be fiber-connected to Studio A. She also accommodates songwriters with the "songwriters room,” a 15' x 17' room with Pro Tools Digi002 and Mackie HR824 near-field monitors for songwriting, artist development, and demo recording needs. Schomaker says, "There is no recording without the song!"